Shoe lace



April ,19, 1927. 1,625,204

C. T. E. GOULD snob: LACE Filed July 29. 1926 Patented Apr. 19, 1927.

LIN-{TED stare iszszai raiser SHOE LIBiGE.

Application fi1edJ'u1y29, 1926, Serial No.

This invention relates to laces used for lacing boots and shoes. In lacing boots it is desirable to arrange the lace so that substantially the same length will be iei t at each end, after the lacing is completed, for the purpose of tying a bow or knot. It is very difficult, however, with'the ordinarylaces to prevent them working through the eyelets so that often there is not sufiicient of one end of the lace left free for tying the knot, while there is too much at the other end.

The object of my invention is to provide a special arrangement of lace to overcome this tendency of the lace to slip, so that there will always be sufficient of each end of the lace left to properly tie a bow or knot.

I attain my object by means of the constructions hereinafter described and illustrated in the accompanying drawings in which Fig. 1 is a front view of a boot of the blucher type ilustrating my improved construction of lace;

Fig. 2 a detail of part of a boot of the balmoral type illustrating the method of using the lace therewith;

Fig. 3 a detail showing another To in of my invention; and

Figs. i and 5 are details illustrating other forms of my invention.

In the drawings like numerals of reference indicate corresponding parts in the different figures.

1 is the upper of a shoe, which is provided at each side of the opening with a series of eyelets 2, although it will be understood, of course, that hooks may be substituted for certain of the upper eyelets as is common practice. Through these eyelets the lace 3 is threaded in the usual way, the lace being first passed through the two bottom eyelets and then through the other eyelets or hooks until the top is reached.

To overcome the tendency of the lace to work out of place so that the amount of lace left over at one end is not suiiicient for tying purposes, I form an enlargement or projection substantially centrally of the length of the lace sufficiently large so that it will not pass through the lower eyelets 2, so that once the lace is in position, it will remain in position.

This enlargement 4 may be formed in various ways and may be applied to a round or flat lace. Preferably, however, it is desirable that the enlargement be formed mainly on -125,802, and in .GanadaOctober-W, 1925; I

one side of the lace. The advantage of this arrangement is that when the lace is used with a bootor shoe of the blucher type as shown in Fig. l, the enlargement is turned inwardly as there is suificient room between the edges oi the upper to receive it and'there is therefore no conspicuous outward projection.

With shoes or boots of the balmoral type, where there is not sutlicient room between the edges of the upper for the enlargement, the enlargement is turned outwardly, and while this arrangement is a little more conspicuous, it has the advantage that there is no hump on the lace tending to dig into the foot.

As stated above the enlargement may be formed in various ways, such for example, as by securing a small projection of metal or other material to the lace. In Fig. 3 I show the projection as a piece of metal, which may be of any convenient shape, and provided with one or more prongs adapted to pass through the lace and their ends upset.

A convenient method, however, of forming the enlargement is by darning, that is, by banking at large number of stitches of thread or yarn by hand or by means of a suitable machine, preferably a sewing machine having one or more needles and of a type which permits the lace to be moved back and forth at will below the needles. When the banking is done by machine, a fine thread may be used on the bobbin and a heavy thread or yarn used on the needle, or vice versa, thus obtaining the desired banking or the heavy thread or yarn.

In Fig. 4- I show a lace secured in place by means of a suitable clip 6 which grips between its jaws both the shoe and the lace, or this clip may be secured to the boot and its jaws engage the lace.

In Fig. 5 I show a lace secured in place by means of a pin 6 or other device passing through the lace and one side of the upper. In this case the pin will be passed through the lace a little to one side of the center of its length.

From the above description it will be seen that I have devised an improvement in laces which will satisfactorily attain the object 01 my invention as set out in the pre amble of this specification. It will be understood that various changes may be made in the details of construction without departing from the spirit oi my invention,

the essence of which is the provision of suitable means whereby the lace will have substantially an equal amount left over at each end for tying purposes.

What I claim is:

l. A shoe lace lowing a thickened portion intermediate its ends, said thickening being arranged so that a considerable projection is formed at one side of the lace while substuntizilly no projection is tOIXllGtl on the opposite side.

2. A shoe lace having a thickened portion intern'iedizite its ends, said thickening being arranged so that a considerable projection is formed at one side of the lace While substantially no projection is formed on the opposite side, said thickening being formed by banking a plurality of stitches of thread or yarn on one side of the lace.

3. A shoe lace having a thickened portion intermediate its ends, said thickening being arranged so that a considerable projection is formed :it one eide oi the htce while substantially no projection is formed on the opposite side, said thickening being formed by banking :i plurality of stitches of thread or yarn on the hue, course .nntterini being employed on one side of the lace and line not teriail on the opposite side.

Signed zit Tloronto, (Ronnie, this 23rd day of July, 1996.

(llUL'I- Ll ll' T. E. GOULD. 

